Radio Atlantic, IA – AM 1220

DES MOINES GIRL FOUND

February 25th, 2013 by Ric Hanson

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Police say a 12-year-old Des Moines girl who went missing after her mother drove her to school earlier this month has been found safe.

Missing 12-year old girl found Sunday night, and the suspect in her disappearance.

Officials say18-year-old Sergio Lopez faces two counts of third-degree sexual abuse and is jailed without bond in Polk County. He’s also charged with violating a no-contact order involving Karina Rodriques-Resendiz . Lopez was wanted for failing to appear in court on one of the sexual abuse charges.

The girl went missing after her mother drove her to school February 8th. She was found Sunday in a house on southeast 9th Street in Des Moines. Authorities brought her to Mercy Medical Center around 6:30 p.m. Sunday, and Lopez was arrested Sunday night. Police had said in announcing the girl’s disappearance that they believed she was with Lopez.